Mary Helen Wilson

Mary Helen (Beetle) Wilson, 90, formerly of Madbury, died, Friday, June 25, 2010, at Watson Fields in Dover after a period of failing health.

Mary Helen (Beetle) Wilson, 90, formerly of Madbury, died, Friday, June 25, 2010, at Watson Fields in Dover after a period of failing health.

She was born March 7, 1920, in Hanover, N.H., the daughter of Ralph and Helen (Ackerman) Beetle. She attended schools in Hanover and graduated from Wheaton College in 1941. Known as MH by many of her friends, she was an avid sportswoman, enjoying skiing, sailing, horseback riding and scuba diving. Her greatest passion was playing tennis. Her longtime friend, Sau Fong Chen, was her doubles partner in tennis and her buddy when scuba diving.

For many years, she swam early mornings at the Dover Indoor Pool and participated in many local road races. In recent years she could be seen riding her bicycle daily along the 5-mile route of Middle and Back Roads. She was truly an inspiration to all she met.

Throughout her life in Dover, she was very involved with the Coop Tennis Facility in Madbury and the Seacoast Indoor Tennis in North Hampton. MH and her friend, Betty Durfee, founded the Sherwood Tennis Club in Dover.

She was an EMT and volunteered on the Dover Fire Department. She also volunteered at the Odyssey House as a crisis intervention support person.

She was predeceased by her husband of 65 years, Dr Robert Wilson, a brother, Allan Beetle, and a sister, Barbara Brown.

Survivors include her four sons, David and wife Marcia of Dover, Peter and wife Sandra of Chicago, Ill., Jonathan and wife Donna of Stratham, and Jeffrey and wife Wendy of Ipswich, Mass.; eight grandchildren, Michelle Kurtz and Brett Wilson of Dover, Brian Wilson and Erin Wilson of Chicago, Kristen Wilson and Gregory Wilson of Stratham, Scott Wilson of Chapel Hill, N.C., and Gary Wilson of Ipswich;. She also had five great-grandchildren, Nicholas and Thyra Kurtz, and Brooke, Taylor and Paige Wilson, all of Dover, and several nieces and nephews.

Calling hours will be held at the Wiggin-Purdy-McCooey-Dion Funeral Home, 655 Central Ave., Dover, N.H. on Monday, June 28, 2010 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The funeral service will be held at First Parish Church in Dover, 218 Central Ave., Dover, on Tuesday, June 29, 2010, at 11 a.m. To sign our online guest book, please go to www.purdyfuneralservice.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Wentworth-Douglass Home Care and Hospice or the City of Dover Swimming Pool Endowment Fund. Donations may be mailed to Dover Recreation Department, 61 Locust St., Dover, NH.

The family wishes to express their sincere appreciation to the nurses and staff at Langdon Place and Watson Fields for all the loving care to MH and the support given to the family during this difficult time.

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